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Ask HN: If you could work remote where would you live?

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Re: Ask HN: If you could work remote where would you live?

#521

Earlier quoted context omitted.

KL (my hometown) is great. There's reliable gigabit internet, which is important to remote workers I reckon. Dying to convince tech folks to come here instead of Singapore.

As a citizen you might not see it but Malaysia is tough for foreign developers and foreigners in general. I mean it's tough even for decent local developers, all the good ones get out asap. The only acceptable foreigner workers for most of the population are the ones who will do menial jobs, everyone else isn't wanted there. In SG no one cares about you being a foreigner. Theres few options available to someone tryin…

I feel you.

Our homegrown tech scene is nothing to shout about. That's why realistically I positing a case for remote workers of foreign firms instead. Who knows, maybe the "right stuff" will spillover locally after a decade.

The bumiputera nonsense is outside our control, however unless you have to frequently deal with the government, most people won't even notice.

Re: Ask HN: If you could work remote where would you live?

#522

Earlier quoted context omitted.

definitely Thailand. Vietnam is nice on the coastal cities.

How do you work remotely from Thailand for any reasonable amount of time? They are incredibly strict about these things. Sounds like an extended holiday and no stable way to live. Apart from applying for an education visa and learning Thai (unsure that actually grants work rights?) or an actual work visa with associated FT job, you'd be on 1 month tourist visas with repeated border crossings and in legal grey zone at…

The elite visa is $15k for 5 years if you have the money that's the way to go. It's possible to stay in Thailand about 6 months max per year without risking getting into trouble on a tourist visa.

I've been living there 6 months out of the year the past 3 years and plan to get the elite visa once the pandemic settles down. Vietnam is another favorite spot of mine but Thailand has always been my #1.

Re: Ask HN: If you could work remote where would you live?

#523

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the number of renters exceeds owners statewide [0], Prop 13 will become a victim of it's own success. It helped existing homeowners stay in place so well that growth that otherwise would've occurred did not, and the minority of remaining homeowners will lose their property tax benefits. [0]: There's a slight tilt towards owners (54%). If property prices continue to become less affordable, it seems reasonable there…

The good thing for homeowners is that renters don't vote. On top of that - many renters are also ineligible to vote in CA. (Cause no citizenship) If prop 13 were to die, you'd think it'd be this year with all the budget problems coming up. It won't though. Politicians would face a mass exodus even if they kept in an exception for primary homes/business-locations. There's no way they'd all stay in office.

> If prop 13 were to die, you'd think it'd be this year with all the budget problems coming up. It won't though. Politicians would face a mass exodus even if they kept in an exception for primary homes/business-locations. There's no way they'd all stay in office.

Prop 13 is a voter-passed Constitutional Amendment and, therefore, can only be repealed by the voters. So, the politicians that would be voted out for repealing it are...the voters.

Re: Ask HN: If you could work remote where would you live?

#524
post #478

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There actually is a measure on the ballot to modify prop 13 this year: https://ballotpedia.org/California_Tax_on_Commercial_and_Ind... — as you said, this is the year for it to pass.

I wonder if this will have any effect on housing. As it stands, it seems like this will do nothing and only affect commercial real estate. So, likely, a lot of small businesses that have held the property for decades will close shop. I expect to see a lot of expensive commercial real estate be vacant for years if this passes.

> I expect to see a lot of expensive commercial real estate be vacant for years if this passes.

It'll be much more expensive to hold commercial real estate without it yielding income, so it should reduce the commercial vacancy rate.

Re: Ask HN: If you could work remote where would you live?

#525
post #520

I've been working almost entirely remote (some occasional short periods of going to a small office with clients) for about 12 years. For most of it, I've been living in Thailand (almost 8 years). Lifestyle here is pretty laid back, but you need to be more aware of your own/your family's safety, in a whole lot of different ways. It's also not particularly easy on foreigners if you want to run a company here, but it's…

Highly recommend Warrnambool as far as regional Victorian towns go, but the lack of humidity, constant wind and freezing water would take getting used to after Thailand. The Sunshine Coast or Cairns have a similar vibe but warmer weather.

I'd been considering Portland actually, and maybe it'd still get a look-in, but it may be too small.

Definitely will not miss the humidity/heat. I'll miss the weather being fairly constant though.

Also, no to Qld. We want to move back to Australia, not move back to the 1920s.

Re: Ask HN: If you could work remote where would you live?

#527

I haven't seen it mentioned, but Boulder for me. I'm really into outdoors sports all year round, but winter sports in particular. To be able to work in a cool locale that is built around that lifestyle, but also where there are a lot of good coffee spots and restaurants, and where there is a sizable tech population with many major tech companies having offices there, sounds like the best of all worlds. Having a tech…

Let's not advertise for Colorado. Let's just keep it our little secret. :)

Re: Ask HN: If you could work remote where would you live?

#528

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Having spent the last few months stuck in Singapore's awful lockdown, I'm pretty convinced it's not the place for me. Can't wait to get back home to HK. I'm starting to miss the smell of teargas. That said, wasn't the biggest fan of KL when I visited. It gave me "trying too hard to be Singapore and failing" vibes. Was much happier chilling in Langkawi. For a big SE Asia mega-city, BKK or Saigon are far more livable t…

Langkawi is currently reeling from the virus. They are dependent on the Chinese cruise crowd and that have dried up completely. I expect real estate prices will see a hit. On the bright side, they're likely to be the first spot in Malaysia to get 5G, so that will bode well for an emerging tech scene. Expats love it because sin items (tabacco and alcohol) are not only tolerated, but duty free. People buy a house right…

Try Labuan, not as touristy and good Internet due to the offshore finance centre. Large number of expats as well as the oil crew from Brunei who come for the tax free alcohol. Regular flights to KL or take the ferry/fly to KK or Brunei.

Re: Ask HN: If you could work remote where would you live?

#529
post #356

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Although I'm from Spain I totally look like a gringo I can't help but wonder if a Spanish accent buys you some cred in Latin America that other gringos don't get.

I think the general negative stereotype about Spaniards in Mexico is that they're brash and stupid. Mexico's negative Polish jokes demeaning a culture's intelligence would be comparable to Galician jokes, dating from a time when there used to be more Galician immigration into Mexico. Iberian accents don't sound cultured and distinguished to most Mexicans; also, Spaniards more casually use words that sound rude to Mex…

> Iberian accents don't sound cultured and distinguished to most Mexicans

That's so interesting. I'm from Brazil, and to us Continental Portuguese sounds pompous, much like what a British accent sounds to an American listeners.

Different languages, I know, but interesting contrast considering both cases are related to the Iberian peninsula :)

Re: Ask HN: If you could work remote where would you live?

#530

Taipei, Taiwan The most underrated city/country in Asia : - Chill and relax - Awesome people, polite and clean - Best place in the world to work from cafes. Many cafes shops welcome people who works for long hours. They also care about cafe ;) I actually prefer to work from cafes than co-working here - Surrounded by nature, mountain, sea, river are within 45minutes reach. Hundred of trails around Taipei. - Metro / Bu…

I visited Taiwan last year and can confirm. It's a beautiful, modern place full of absolutely super nice people. The stories are true.
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